Rail-joint.



T. -J. AKERS.

BAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION mum nnc.2a,190a.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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THOMAS J. AKERS, OF LATAH, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HUBERT E. SMITH,

OF LATAH, WASHINGTON.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed December 23, 1908. Serial No. 468,988.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. AKEns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Latah, in the county of Spokane, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a rail joint and more particularly to the class of rail joints wherein the meeting ends of the railway rails interiit each other in a wedging manner to form a reliable joint therebetween.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a rail joint in which the meeting ends or abutting terminals of the railway rails are formed to interlock and to produce a wedge joint between the same so as to effect a continuous rail which will be iirm and reliable under ordinary or undue strains so that the meeting or abutting ends of the rails will not become out of alinement with each other which would result in one of the meeting ends being raised or lowered with respect to the other meeting end of said rail thereby producing a defective joint between the same.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a rail joint wherein one extremity of one railway rail is formed with a wedge extension and the other adjacent rail has its abutting terminal formed with a recess correspondingly shaped to the wedge extension to receive the same so as to form a tight joint between the meeting ends of the rails and should undue strain occur at the juncture of the meeting ends of the rails the same will interlock in a wedge like manner and thereby prevent vertical displacement of the rail ends which would result in an objectionable and defective connection therebetween.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, disclosing the preferred form of embodiment of the invention and brought out in the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the meeting ends of a pair of railway rails or a rail joint embodying the invention.

.16 oi the said rail.

Fig. 2 is a topplan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one rail disconnected. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other rail.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

In the drawings, the numeral 5 designates one of the rails and 6 the other rail of the joint. The rail 5 has a ortion oi its tread cut away to form a beveled u per face 7 of an extension 8 and which tread is recessed to form a triangular or V-shaped recess 9. The base 10 of the rail 5 is also cut away as at 11. It is obvious that the extension 8 with its beveled upper face 7 forms a wedge continuation of the rail 5.

The rail 6 has its tread beveled to provide a V-shape projection 12 correspondingly shaped to the recess 9 to fit within the latter. On opposite sides of the projection 12 are formed shoulders 13 adapted to abut against shoulders 14 at opposite sides of the recess 9 in the rail 5. The web of the rail 6 is cut a vay as at 15 to accommodate the extension 8 and the underl'ace oi the tread of said rail (5 overhanging the cut away portion 15 is beveled as at 16 to coact with the beveled upper face 7 of the rail 5 when the rail 6 is joined with the latter. The base of the rail 6 is extended as at 17 to lit within the cut awlay portion 11 of the base 10 of the other rai Both rails are secured to the ties by spikes 18 and it will be observed that both the base and tread portions oi the meeting ends of the rails are positively interlocked and. should longitudinal expansion of either of the said rails occur the extension 8 will be caused to wedge between the tread and base of the rail 6 due to the beveled contacting faces 7 and In this manner a more perfect and reliable oint will be effected and at the same time the upper surfaces of the treads oi the rails will be maintained flush with each other. Furthermore, there will absolutely be no chance of the meeting end of one rail sinking or becoming elevated with respect to the meeting end of the other rail. It is also obvious that no lateral displacement can take place between the meeting ends of the rails, due to the V-shaped projection fitting into the V-shaped recess formed at the treads of the rails. There is no chance of pounding of the rail ends by the wheels of the rolling stock.

What is claimed is In a rail joint, the combination of a rail having its tread cut away to form a beveled extension and a recess in its tread, the said rail also being cut away at its base below the extension, at second rail having a recess between its tread and base and of corresponding shape to the beveled extension to I receive the latter, the said second rail having a projection at its tread correspondingly shaped to the recess in the first mentioned rail and adapted to fit Within the same, and an extension on said second rail at its base l to fit within the cut away portion of the base l 01' the first mentioned tail below the extenl sion thereof.

5 In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, 1 in presence oltwo Witnesses.

, THOMAS J. AKEHS. I Witnesses:

\ K. E. GULLIOK,

P. W. CHAPMAN. 

